Fire Sale

Fire Decimates Siririt Traditional Market in North Bali

For the second time in recent history, the Siririt traditional market in north Bali was ravaged by a fire hat started at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 3, 2014.

A similar fire destroyed large areas of the same market in 2003.

The most recent fire appears to have started on the second floor of the market and quickly spread within the short span of 30-minutes to the fare corners of the market.

According to Radar Bali (Jawa Post), one trader told of seeing the fire grow and spread over a large area in only ten minutes.

Seven fire trucks were dispatched from the Siririt, Singaraja and Kubutambahan Fire Stations. Despite pumping 30 tanks of water onto the scene, the fire still raged two hours after its start.

Efforts by firefighters to extinguish the flames were hampered in part by traders rushing in and out of the fire scene trying to salvage goods and merchandise from their shops. Access to the fire scene by emergency vehicles was also impeded by thousands of spectators who thronged to the scene.

Police and Fire Officials estimate that as many as 1,500 traders’ stall were destroyed in the fire threatening the livelihood of as may as 3,000 people.

Local government administrators estimate the Siririt market prior to the fire had a daily turnover in sales of Rp. 450 million.